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Guide The Definitive Wii U Trimming Guide

YveltalGriffin

First Wii U Trimmer
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Preface

The Definitive Wii U Trimming Guide only supports WUP-50 Wii U motherboards. WUP-50 motherboards consume much less power than earlier revisions, making them usable for portables. An addendum for earlier motherboard revisions may be released in the future.

Thanks to recent discoveries, the Wii U homebrew scene is rapidly evolving. Various bleeding-edge softmods are under development and the guide will undergo major edits as these softmods become available to the public. For portablizers, this means that some relocations may no longer be necessary! Check the Wii U R&D thread and this guide's changelog for the latest updates.

This guide was developed for the BitBuilt community, but BitBuilt was not involved in the writing of the guide, and is not responsible for its content.

Please note that Wii U portablizing is much more challenging than Wii portablizing! Fine-pitch via soldering (like the Wii AVE relocation) and trace-scratching (like Wii Bluetooth) are mandatory to produce a functional LOLWUT trim. This guide and the information contained within are provided “as-is”, and the trim should only be attempted by experienced modders. Have fun!

Identifying your Wii U’s Motherboard Revision

This trimming guide is intended for WUP-50 Wii U motherboards only. All Wii U consoles have a white sticker on the bottom that indicates motherboard revision. The sticker is located below the larger sticker indicating storage capacity, and has a 2D barcode and a lot code. The last two digits of the lot code indicate motherboard revision.

01 = WUP-01
20 = WUP-20
30 = WUP-30
40 = WUP-40
50 = WUP-50


01.jpg
30.jpg
30white.jpg
40.jpg
50_1.jpg
50_2.jpg


8GB WUP-001 consoles never contain WUP-50 motherboards. WUP-50 motherboards are only found in 32GB “Deluxe” WUP-101 consoles. However, as shown in the photos, not all WUP-101 consoles contain WUP-50 motherboards. Additionally, WUP-101 consoles can be black or white. Therefore, unlike the Wii, shell color is not an accurate way to determine board rev.

Always refer to the sticker on the underside of the console to determine motherboard revision! You can also look inside the Wii U's SD card slot to see the motherboard revision code.

Prerequisites

Before trimming, you must obtain the following:
  • Wii U with a WUP-50 motherboard and system firmware 5.5.x, softmodded with autoboot Aroma.
  • A Wii U GamePad that is the same region as your console (mandatory to softmod and play games)
    • Write down your Wii U console's pair code (4 suit symbols) so you can re-pair a GamePad, if needed!
    • Note: out-of-region GamePads may pair using udpih or certain Aroma plugins, but if their firmware is not up-to-date, they will cause your console to bootloop!
  • Put Wii U console into GamePad sync mode. Its 5GHz SSID will show up on nearby PCs or phones. The last byte is the pair code, but you need to convert it to binary. (89 -> 10001001)
  • Once in binary, split it into 4 bytes (10 00 10 01), which equates to 2 0 2 1
= 0
= 1
= 2
= 3
  • 2 0 2 1 pair code = ♦ ♠ ♦ ♥
  • Non-SDHC SD card that is <2GB in size. 1GB or smaller is preferable
  • Raspberry Pi Pico or another RP2040 board (RP2040 Zero is preferred due to its compact footprint)

Pico de_Fuse Setup

de_Fuse is a Wii U hardware exploit discovered by ShinyQuagsire23. His Pico de_Fuse modchip runs stroopwafel, a softmod that patches out the disc drive. Pico de_Fuse requires some softmodding/dumping to be performed before trimming.

If you did not dump otp.bin while softmodding your Wii U, follow the instructions below to dump it with udpih. If you already dumped otp.bin, copy it to your PC and skip to downloading de_Fuse.zip.
  • Flash udpih to your Raspberry Pi Pico or RP2040 Zero by following the instructions on the GitHub page.
  • Copy recovery_menu onto your SD card and boot it by following the linked instructions.
  • Select the third option to dump your Wii U’s OTP and SEEPROM.
  • If you want, you can select Submit System Data to contribute your Wii U’s info to wiiu.gerbilsoft.com. Shutdown afterwards.
  • Copy otp.bin and seeprom.bin from the SD card to your computer.
  • Download the latest release of ShinyQuagsire23’s de_Fuse.zip
  • Format your non-SDHC SD card (<2GB) and flash boot1.img to it using Win32DiskImager.
  • Copy fw.img and the wiiu folder from de_Fuse.zip and the otp.bin you dumped earlier to your SD card.
  • Create a file on the SD card named minute.ini and copy the following text into it:
    [boot]
    autoboot = 1
  • Finally, flash pico_defuse.uf2 to your Pico or RP2040 Zero. Once you wire it up after trimming, Pico de_Fuse will automatically patch out the disc drive.

About vWii

The vWii is the Wii U's built-in Wii environment. It has a couple major caveats that make it unsuitable for Wii U portables at this time.
  • vWii cannot start without the disc drive.
    • Even with Priiloader installed and homebrew like USBLoaderGX set to autoboot, the vWii crashes when booting if the disc drive is absent, or SATA devices are disabled via either SEEPROM or Stroopwafel.
    • It's likely this will be fixed via softmodding in the future. However, for the time being, the vWii is unusable for portables.
  • Furthermore, games loaded from within vWii cannot be controlled with the Wii U GamePad.
    • GC/Wii VC injects installed to the Wii U Menu, on the other hand, can be controlled with the GamePad, if you enable that option during injection.
    • A Wii U Nintendont forwarder like CrisMMMod.ver.7.30 also allows Gamecube games to be played with the Wii U GamePad.
  • The vWii cannot load Wii or Gamecube games from the same USB drive you install Wii U games to. You must load Wii games from a second USB drive or the SD card(or use experimental partitioning hacks like Stroopwafel's USB Shrinkshift)
    • Pico de_Fuse normally requires a non-SDHC SD card (<2GB), which obviously precludes the storage of GC/Wii backups on the SD card.
    • However, Pico de_Fuse v0.8 and higher support flashing boot1_slccmpt.img to NAND, allowing the use of larger SD cards. See the release notes on GitHub for details about how to flash boot1_slccmpt.img. Note that the Wii U will not boot without an SD card if you choose this route.
Because the vWii requires a second game drive and doesn’t fully support the GamePad, it’s recommended that you use VC injects for all Gamecube and Wii games. GC/Wii VC injects can be installed to the same USB drive as your Wii U games and can be played using the GamePad, but may have minor compatibility issues and count toward the Wii U’s game/channel limit (300 per user profile.)

Additional Softmodding Setup (optional, vWii only)

vWii is currently unusable without a disc drive connected. This section of the guide will only become relevant once the disc drive dependency is patched out. Until then, it can be ignored; use VC injects to play Wii and GC games.

  • Download the latest vwii-compat-installer release from GitHub and place it in /wiiu/apps/compat-installer on your SD card.
  • Download the latest Priiloader_vX.zip and PriiloaderWiiUForwarder.zip from GitHub and extract them both to the root of your SD card.
  • Insert the SD card into your console and hold X on power-up to start the EnvironmentLoader.
  • Select Tiramisu, then in the Boot Selector select the Homebrew Launcher.
  • Select compat-installer from the Homebrew Launcher and follow the instructions to install the vWii Homebrew Channel.
  • Power off your Wii U. Power it on again while holding Start to enter the Boot Selector.
  • Select the vWii System Menu. If you have not already paired a Wii remote with your Wii U, do so once the vWii System Menu loads.
  • Point the Wii remote at the GamePad and select The Homebrew Channel.
  • Select Priiloader Installer and follow the instructions. Power off the Wii U once complete.
Now, loading the vWii from the Wii U System Menu will load Priiloader. You can load homebrew apps from within Priiloader and/or set them to autoboot when the vWii loads. You can always use the ‘Boot to Priiloader’ Aroma channel on the Wii U System Menu to get to vWii Priiloader in case something goes awry.

Please note that RVLoader 1.6 / Hiidra do not work properly on vWii. Instead, it is recommended to install cIOSes and patch IOS 80 to facilitate loading backups.
The vWii is now fully softmodded. You may also want to install GaryOderNichts’ evwii Aroma plugin to improve the behavior of the vWii. To load backups, use neek2o + DI for vWii. Refer to this guide for details on neek2o installation and usage.

Once again, please read through the About vWii section above to understand the vWii’s rather severe limitations!

Trimming

Important pre-trim preparation!
  • Before disassembly/trimming, configure the Wii U’s TV settings to 480i non-HDMI output (Wii AV cables). This will make testing the trim with composite video possible. If you do not do this, and anything goes wrong with the GamePad (it desyncs or there is 1.1V or 1.25V instability), you will be forced to rewire HDMI.
  • Before disassembly/trimming, disable Auto Power-Down and Standby Functions in the Wii U's Power Settings. Make sure the Quick Start Menu is also disabled. This will make testing with the GamePad easier.
  • Remove R116, located near the HDMI port and U14, and save it for later. It will be reattached during the video relocation. If you lose R116, it can be replaced with any 0402 or 0603 size 510Ω resistor.
r116.jpg


Only one trim is supported: the LOLWUT trim. Its dimensions are approximately 110mm x 80mm.
trim_top.jpg

trim_bot.jpg


Remove any components the trim line intersects before trimming! Trim outside the lines, and sand toward the lines with increasingly fine grits of sandpaper (finish with at least 600 grit). The Wii U motherboard is 6 layers with very tight layer spacing, so careful sanding is imperative to avoid shorts.

IMG_20231211_132612.jpg


Once sanded, visually inspect the edges of the mobo to ensure there are no shorts. Here are some ballpark resistance values for the voltage rails (see the Relocations section for voltage rail locations.) As long as the resistances are the same order of magnitude as the listed values, and there are no dead shorts (0Ω), you’re good.
  • 1V to GND: ~10Ω
  • 1.1V to GND: ~1.7kΩ
  • 1.15V to GND: ~20Ω
  • 1.25V to GND: ~700Ω
  • 1.5V to GND: ~170Ω
  • 3.3V to GND: ~25kΩ

Relocations

The Wii U requires the following relocations in order to boot and play games. As of Jan. 2024, all relocations are mandatory. (2/1/24: Pico de_Fuse is not mandatory when using ISFSHax. The trim guide will be updated soon to cover ISFSHax as well as other recent softmodding developments.)

Please follow the checklists in each section to ensure you’ve made all the necessary connections. You can also find photos of most of the relocations in the Wii U R&D Thread, where LOLWUT trim development was documented.

☐ SMC and RTC
☐ NAND and eMMC
☐ Pico de_Fuse modchip
☐ 2.4GHz Wi-Fi module
☐ 5GHz GamePad module
☐ Bluetooth module
☐ SD card (for homebrew)
☐ USB (for games)
☐ Power / custom regulators
☐ Video and Audio

Be advised that the WUP-50 motherboard has plugged vias. Unlike tented vias, the soldermask actually penetrates into the via barrel, blocking it and preventing the insertion of magnet wire. When soldering magnet wire to vias on the Wii U, scratch the soldermask off the via and tin it liberally. Then solder the magnet wire to the “solder bubble” created on top of the via.

vias.jpg



SMC and RTC

The SMC (system management controller) handles the Wii U’s power button and power/status LEDs. The RTC (real-time clock) performs boot, power-up/power-down, and clock functions. Both are required for the Wii U to function. You must trim an SMC/RTC daughterboard from the motherboard to relocate these two ICs. In the future, a custom PCB to relocate the SMC/RTC may be released.

Wii U motherboards have two separate RTC footprints, one on the top layer and one on the bottom layer. Only one of the RTCs is ever populated, and which one is populated is seemingly random. A top-side RTC is preferable as this allows the SMC/RTC daughterboard to be trimmed smaller, but both variants are usable.

Top-side SMC/RTC Daughterboard Trim
top_RTC.jpg


Bottom-side SMC/RTC Daughterboard Trim
bottom_RTC2.jpg


Remove any components the trim line intersects before trimming!
Treat this daughterboard as you would the main motherboard trim. Trim outside the lines, and sand toward the lines with increasingly fine grits of sandpaper (finish with at least 600 grit). Check for dead shorts () between 3.3V and GND after sanding.

SMC and RTC Connections
smc_rtc2.jpg

  • The solder points in the diagram are universal to both top and bottom RTC variants.
  • There are seven 3.3V points on the SMC/RTC daughterboard that need to be reconnected. Wire them together with magnet wire as shown, and supply 3.3V to any one of the points. Supply GND to the marked via, the screwhole, or any other portion of GND plane.
  • The power button and eject button lines are active-low. Connect these lines to momentary, normally-open switches to GND. The eject button is used to navigate the de_Fuse serial console menu, so relocating it is recommended.
  • The Red, Blue, and Yellow LEDs indicate de_Fuse and console power status. The LED pins supply current, so make sure the other side of the LEDs are connected to GND. Connect the LED pins to the LEDs via series ~1kΩ resistors. You can deadbug the resistors onto the Wii U’s front IO board LEDs as shown below, or wire up your own LEDs.
    front_board.jpg
  • If you wish to preserve real-time clock functionality, connect a coin cell to the RTC B+ trace and GND.
SoC Connections
smc_rtc_soc.jpg


TP148 Connection


You must connect a ~10kΩ resistor between TP148 and 3.3V.
smc_rtc_bottom.jpg


SMC and RTC Relocation Checklist
☐ All SMC/RTC 3.3V points soldered together with magnet wire
☐ 3.3V and GND reconnected to SMC/RTC daughterboard
☐ 10kΩ resistor soldered between TP148 and 3.3V
☐ SMC SDA, SCL, and RESET reconnected to SoC (3 wires)
☐ Power/eject button and LEDs reconnected to SMC (5 wires + GND)
☐ RTC reconnected to SoC (6 wires)
☐ SMC and RTC reconnected to BT, 2.4GHz and 5GHz modules (see individual module relocation sections)
☐ Coin cell reconnected to RTC (optional)


NAND and eMMC

The TSOP NAND and eMMC store vital system files and are required for the Wii U to function. Like the SMC and RTC, you must trim a NAND+eMMC daughterboard from the motherboard to relocate these two ICs. In the future, a custom PCB to relocate the NAND and eMMC may be released.

nand.jpg


emmc.jpg


Remove any components the trim line intersects before trimming!
Treat this daughterboard as you would the main motherboard trim. Trim outside the lines, and sand toward the lines with increasingly fine grits of sandpaper (finish with at least 600 grit). Check for dead shorts () between 3.3V and GND after sanding.

34AWG or thinner magnet wire is highly recommended for this relocation.

nand_emmc.jpg


NAND and eMMC Relocation Checklist
☐ NAND rewired to SoC (17 wires)
☐ eMMC rewired to SoC (6 wires)
☐ 3.3V and GND reconnected to NAND+eMMC daughterboard


Pico de_Fuse

If using an RP2040 Zero, you can desolder its 3.3V LDO and USB-C port after programming to slim down the board.

When powering up the motherboard, you should see flashing blue and red LEDs as the modchip de_Fuses the console, and a static purple (blue+red) LED once de_Fusing is complete and the system is booting.

Connection list:
  • GPIO2 to D0 on motherboard
  • GPIO3 to D1 on motherboard
  • GPIO4 to D2 on motherboard
  • GPIO5 to D3 on motherboard
  • GPIO6 to D4 on motherboard
  • GPIO7 to D5 on motherboard
  • GPIO8 to D6 on motherboard
  • GPIO9 to D7 on motherboard
  • GPIO10, GPIO11, GPIO12, GPIO13 to TP176 (EXI0 MISO) on motherboard
  • GPIO14 to TP101 (EXI0 CLK) on motherboard
  • GPIO15 to TP144 (NRST) on SMC/RTC daughterboard
  • GPIO18, GPIO19, GPIO20, GPIO21 to D6 on motherboard
pico_defuse.jpg


Debug Connections
34AWG or thinner magnet wire is highly recommended for this relocation.
defuse_debug.jpg


EXI Connections
defuse_exi.jpg


SMC/RTC Connection
defuse_smc.jpg


Pico de_Fuse Relocation Checklist
☐ 3.3V LDO removed from Pico
☐ 3.3V and GND wired to Pico
☐ Debug connections wired from Pico to motherboard (8 wires)
☐ EXI connections wired from Pico to motherboard (2 wires)
☐ NRST wired from Pico to SMC/RTC daughterboard (1 wire)


2.4GHz Wi-Fi Module

The Wii U’s 2.4GHz Wi-Fi module is required for the system to boot, and is used to connect to the internet and transfer games and homebrew.

The Wii U Wi-Fi module does not have testpoints, so you must solder directly to the original connector footprint. Magnification and 34AWG or thinner magnet wire is highly recommended for this relocation.

wifi.jpg


Data Lines
wifi_data.jpg


SMC/RTC Connections
wifi_smc.jpg


SoC Connection
wifi_soc.jpg


2.4GHz Wi-Fi Module Relocation Checklist
☐ Wi-Fi module data lines wired to motherboard (6 wires)
☐ Wi-Fi module rewired to SMC/RTC daughterboard (2 wires)
☐ Wi-Fi module rewired to SoC (1 wire)
☐ 3.3V and GND wired to Wi-Fi module
☐ One or more antennae reconnected (optional)


5Ghz GamePad Module

The Wii U’s 5GHz GamePad wireless module sends and receives data to/from the Wii U GamePad. Since many Wii U games require a GamePad to be connected before the game will even load, relocating the 5GHz module is required.

The Wii U 5GHz module does not have testpoints, so you must solder directly to the original connector footprint. Magnification and 34AWG or thinner magnet wire is highly recommended.

5ghz.jpg

Pins 18 and 19 need pulldown resistors connected between the module pin and GND. Pin 18 needs a 10kΩ resistor (R266) and pin 19 needs a 47kΩ resistor (R689). R266 and R689 are located opposite the 5GHz module connector on the Wii U motherboard, and can be harvested before or after trimming.

Data Lines and TP99
5ghz_mobo.jpg


SMC/RTC Connections
5ghz_smc.jpg


5GHz GamePad Module Relocation Checklist
☐ 10kΩ resistor wired between module pin 18 and GND
☐ 47kΩ resistor wired between module pin 19 (or TP99) and GND
☐ 5GHz module rewired to TP99 (1 wire)
☐ 5GHz module rewired to SMC/RTC daughterboard (2 wires)
☐ 3.3V and GND wired to 5GHz module
☐ At least one antenna reconnected, or wired directly to GamePad


Bluetooth Module

The Wii U’s Bluetooth (BT) module is required for the Wii U to boot. It also handles syncing controllers. Only non-GamePad controllers (Wiimotes, Pro Controller, Bloopair) connect to the console via the BT module. While initial GamePad syncing is triggered by the Sync button, the GamePad only communicates via the 5GHz module once connected.

Some Wii U BT modules have testpoints on the back, but most do not. If your BT module lacks testpoints, you must solder directly to the original connector footprint.

Magnification and 34AWG or thinner magnet wire are highly recommended for this relocation.
bt_module.jpg


Sync is active high. Temporarily connect sync to 3.3V to trigger controller syncing.

Data Lines
bt_usb.jpg


SMC/RTC Connections
bt_smc.jpg


SoC Connection
bt_soc.jpg


Bluetooth Relocation Checklist
☐ BT data lines wired to motherboard (2 wires)
☐ BT module rewired to SMC/RTC daughterboard (3 wires)
☐ BT module rewired to SoC (1 wire)
☐ 3.3V and GND wired to BT module
☐ Sync button relocated (optional)


SD Card

An SD card is mandatory for Pico de_Fuse and Aroma (homebrew). Relocating it requires scratching and soldering directly to traces next to the Wii U SoC. Magnification and 34AWG or thinner magnet wire are highly recommended.

Short the CD (card detect) and WP (write protect) traces on the motherboard to GND. If this is not done, the Wii U will not mount or read the SD card. Since SD card slot pinouts vary, refer to the pinout of your particular SD card slot when connecting it to the motherboard.

sd.jpg

microsd_pinout.jpg


SD Relocation Checklist
☐ 3.3V and GND connected to SD card
☐ SDIO wired from SD card to motherboard (6 wires)
☐ CD and WP on motherboard shorted to GND

USB

A USB drive is recommended to install and run games. (While you can install games to the Wii U’s eMMC, the 32GB space runs out quickly.)

The rear USB port buses (USB0 and USB1) are recommended, since they have vias you can solder to. Use tightly twisted magnet wire for D+ and D-. Wire 5V and GND directly to the USB port/drive.
usb.png


USB Relocation Checklist
☐ 5V and GND connected to SD card
☐ USB data lines wired to motherboard (2 wires)


Power / Custom Regulators

The Wii U requires 7 voltage rails:
  • 1V @ 9A (Latte)
  • 1.15V @ 5.5A (Espresso)
  • 1.1V @ ~100mA (DRH-WUP-1)
  • 1.25V @ ~150mA (DRH-WUP-1)
  • 1.5V @ ~1A (RAM)
  • 3.3V @ ~400mA (video, SD, de_Fuse)
  • 5V (for USB and accessories only)
Total WUP-50 board-level power consumption is around 18W.

There are a couple options for custom regulators:
Note: Shorting the 1.1V and 1.15V rails and powering them from a single regulator can lead to GamePad instability. It’s recommended that you power the 1.1V rail from its own regulator.

Regardless of the custom regs you use, your battery pack should be able to deliver at least 7A continuously for safe operation. 1S4P Samsung 50E, 1S2P/1S4P Samsung 50S, and 1S4P Samsung 35E cells are good configurations.

Voltage Relocations
voltage_top.jpg

voltages_bot.jpg

  • Supply 1V and 1.15V to the bottom side of the motherboard with short, 18AWG or thicker wire.
  • You must connect two dedicated 18AWG or thicker GND wires for 1V and 1.15V.
  • 1.5V can be wired with 24AWG. Connect an additional GND wire to the underside of the motherboard, near the 1.5V plane.
  • The other rails are low current and only require 28AWG minimum.
  • You only need to supply 1.1V, 1.25V, and 3.3V at one of their marked locations.

Q1077/Q1078 Removal and Bypass

Locate Q1077 and Q1078 on the underside of the motherboard. Desolder both Q1077 and Q1078 and bypass them with wire as shown.

q1077.jpg
q1078.jpg


Q1077 Bypass
q1077_bypass.jpg


Q1078 Bypass
vias1.jpg


Power Relocation Checklist
☐ Q1077 removed and bypassed
☐ Q1078 removed and bypassed
☐ 1V, 1.15V and two GND wires (18AWG+) reconnected to motherboard for SoC
☐ 1.5V and one GND wire (24AWG+) reconnected to motherboard for RAM
☐ 1.1V, 1.25V reconnected to motherboard for DRH
☐ 3.3V connected to motherboard, Pico de_Fuse, and SD card
☐ 5V connected to fan and USB (optional)
☐ GND connected to all peripherals and daughterboards (SMC/RTC/NAND/eMMC/SD/Pico de_Fuse/fan/USB/etc.)


Video and Audio

The Wii U can output composite video, component video (YPbPr), and HDMI. Composite video is limited to 480i; component can output 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p; HDMI can output 480p, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p. 480i and 480p output anamorphic widescreen; higher resolutions are true 16:9 widescreen. The Wii U can only output either analog video or HDMI video at once; it cannot output both simultaneously. The system settings menu controls resolution and which outputs are active.

There are three options for console audio: analog audio, digital audio (I2S), and audio over HDMI. You can also rely solely on the GamePad’s audio, if you wish. The Wii U does not have an I2S MCLK signal, so its digital audio is incompatible with the U-AMP; however, it may work with other I2S amplifiers that don’t require MCLK.

audio_video.jpg

hpd_bottom.jpg


Mode must be connected to 1.25V if you are using component video with a resolution of 480p or higher. If you do not connect mode to 1.25V, the Wii U will only output 480i over component. Mode is unused when outputting HDMI.
mode.jpg


R116 relocation

Solder R116 between pin 3 and pin 8 of U14. If you didn’t keep the original R116, you can use any 0402 or 0603 sized 510Ω resistor. A convenient location for reattaching R116 is shown below.
IMG_20240101_233910.jpg


Video and Audio Relocation Checklist
☐ R116 relocated
☐ Analog, digital, or HDMI audio rewired (optional if using GamePad audio)

If using composite/component:
☐ Non-HDMI output selected in system settings
☐ Composite or component wired to screen
☐ If using component @ 480p or higher, mode wired to 1.25V

If using HDMI:
☐ HDMI output selected in system settings
☐ HDMI wired to screen (x4 TMDS pairs, DDC I2C, GND)
☐ HPD (TP10) wired to 5V


Cooling

The Wii U consumes much more power than the Wii, PS2, or Dreamcast, and therefore generates much more heat than those consoles. A large heatsink and fan are required to keep the console from overheating and crashing.

One compact setup that’s known to work well is a 45x45x10mm heatsink paired with a 50x40mm 5V blower fan as seen here in the R&D thread.


Troubleshooting

This section briefly covers some common issues and how to address them. Keep in mind the Wii U is a complex, delicate system and not as well-understood as the Wii.
  • No display on GamePad: 5GHz module isn’t connected properly, or 1.1V or 1.25V rails are unstable. Ensure at least one 5GHz module antenna is connected, or coax is hardwired to GamePad.
  • Console hangs when loading games or entering Settings menu: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi module isn’t connected properly.
  • Orange light: SD card isn’t being detected. Did you short CD and WP to GND? Is the SD card properly formatted and wired?
  • System is extremely slow/unresponsive: Low 1.15V rail voltage, poor SD card wiring, poor eMMC wiring, or filesystem corruption (see next bullet point)
  • Error 160-2215, Error 160-0103: May be filesystem corruption. Try restoring a NAND dump via the Pico de_Fuse serial console.

Changelog
  • 02/01/2024: Updated vWii section to reflect results of recent testing and added disclaimers about upcoming guide changes
  • 02/01/2024: Added recommendation to disable Auto Power-Down, Standby Functions, and Quick Start Menu
  • 02/07/2024: Fixed Eject button pinout in SMC/RTC diagram
  • 04/01/2024: Added GamePad PIN brute force procedure thanks to Lazr1026

Credits & Acknowledgments

Special Thanks:
  • ShinyQuagsire23, for Pico de_Fuse and stroopwafel
  • @Crazzyleprechaun, for pioneering the wireless module relocations and trim dev support
  • @thedrew, for alerting the BB community at large to the WUP-50
  • @Shank and @Nold, for their initial Wii U research and theorycrafting
  • @Redherring32, for sending me a Japanese GamePad and proofreading the guide
  • @CrashBash, @cheese, and Noah for providing BitBuilt
  • @ShockSlayer, for inspiring me to start portablizing in earnest, and BB’s trim naming conventions
 
Last edited:

Lazr

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Joined
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Messages
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Is de_Fuse only needed for the disc drive patches? if so, one could entirely skip that by loading minute_minute from udpih/recovery_menu or the browser exploit, and set the SATA device in seeprom to No Device.
 

YveltalGriffin

First Wii U Trimmer
.
Joined
Jun 7, 2016
Messages
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Location
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Portables
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Is de_Fuse only needed for the disc drive patches? if so, one could entirely skip that by loading minute_minute from udpih/recovery_menu or the browser exploit, and set the SATA device in seeprom to No Device.
Thanks for letting me know about this. Wii U HB scene is moving quick these days, which is awesome!

So right now, the guide is very "hardware-centric". It relies on relocating all the original hardware & adding Pico de_Fuse to replace the disc drive. I'm a hardware guy, so this is my preferred approach. Documenting the hardware alone has been a huge undertaking. As such, I haven't touched redNAND or ISFSHax yet despite those potentially allowing for the removal of more components.

Ideally, the software side of things will eventually become streamlined enough to patch stuff out in a very user-friendly way, like on the Wii. At that point I'll be able to remove big chunks of the guide (NAND/eMMC, Wi-Fi, de_Fuse, etc.) all at once. But for the time being the guide will retain all pinout info for the sake of completeness.
 
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I recently acquired 4 Wii U's for free. It may be time to sacrifice some to the Dremel gods...
 

Y2K

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I recently acquired 4 Wii U's for free. It may be time to sacrifice some to the Dremel gods...
I would advise anyone here to not attempt this until you have some more experience under your belt. Not trying to gatekeep or anything, but WUP-50 Wii U's aren't exactly the most common thing in existence, and the sheer number of extremely complex relocations required here is not something that a beginner can likely pull off without potentially destroying the console. If you haven't built a portable yet or don't already have extensive soldering &/or electronics experience, consider starting off with an easier project. ;)
 
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I would advise anyone here to not attempt this until you have some more experience under your belt. Not trying to gatekeep or anything, but WUP-50 Wii U's aren't exactly the most common thing in existence, and the sheer number of extremely complex relocations required here is not something that a beginner can likely pull off without potentially destroying the console. If you haven't built a portable yet or don't already have extensive soldering &/or electronics experience, consider starting off with an easier project. ;)
Haha, I hear you. I just get really excited seeing things like this and their potential. I'm currently working on an Ashida build and have quite a bit of experience soldering/repairing consoles so I'm not too worried about that aspect. I did check the ones I have though and none of them are 50 series wii u's sadly.

For the eMMC relocation, I was thinking if the NAND-AID could potentially be reworked to provide a smaller footprint for memory.
 
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Yveltal Griffin said, "WUP-50 motherboards consume much less power than earlier revisions, making them usable for portables" I was wondering if this is the only thing keeping them from being able to be made portable... I have a WUP-30 101 and I have been really wanting to make it portable and if it is only power holding it back, couldn't we just use bigger batteries... it might be clunky but it would still be more portable than it is now. I understand that the board layout would be different, possibly preventing compact trims. Don't feel pressured though, you have done so much already!
 

YveltalGriffin

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Previous revs can be trimmed nearly as small! The scans + WUP-01 "compendium" I shared in the R&D thread contain all the info required to perform such a trim. This post also has a theoretical WUP-01 trim line. LOLWUN? :XD:

My Bistro reg board should be able to power WUP-01 - WUP-40 boards no problem, since the 1V and 1.15V bucks are rated for 24A. Just make sure your battery pack can supply at least ~10 amps. If you make any progress, please share it in the R&D thread!
 
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Hello, thank you for the great work.
My WUP-50 has encountered some issues, perhaps it is inappropriate to raise them here, but I think you are the most familiar with it. If I make a mistake, please ignore me.
My console error code is 160-1400,I checked CM9 and CM10, and they are working very well. I patches out the disc drive with de-fuse,it can successfully enter the desktop.
But it will be POWER OFF anytime ,LED turns red,power button is not working. The power adapter must be disconnected to restart.
I detected that the 12V track only outputs 7.0V,I tried to replace the ic marked in the picture,but there has been no change.
Could you give me any advice please?

EDIT:Maybe will help others,It's just related to my case.
About POWER OFF anytime :replace SMC
About 12V track only outputs 7.0V :damaged Q17
 

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zal16

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Hello everyone, I'm new here, I was very interested in doing this portability, but three questions arose:

I know the vWii don't works without the disc drive, but about the GC/Wii injects? They works without he (and de_fuse patch)?
It's possible to do a undervolt, specially on more demanding lines like 1v and 1.15v?
What is the power consupmition and current(A) in vWii mode? Is much less than last revison of original Wii hardware?
 
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Xyzven

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Jesus, what a labour of love! Thanks so much for the hard work... this is really amazing.
 
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Hi, I don't know if this mentioned before but months ago i found this
So the nand can be replaced by an SSD or hhd using the SATA port that was used by the disks reader.
Would be interesting if someone try this on a trimmed wii u
 
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Lazr

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Hi, I don't know if this mentioned before but months ago i found this
So the nand can be replaced by an SSD or hhd using the PCI port that was used by the disks reader.
Would be interesting if someone try this on a trimmed wii u
Honestly, I'd say that the best way for an eMMC relocation is simply don't and use a redNAND. Jan has been making some good progress with redNAND, and now you don't even need a real eMMC to use a redNAND. It shouldn't be a big issue either on the software side, since portables should have isfshax, or at least defuse, plus you can have any size internal you want, just like with the cafeflex.
Hardware side it might be a little annoying, due to needing to solder to tiny traces for the SD card, but it doesn't require an eMMC relocation and replaces the need for a USB to replace an SD card, since you can have just an SD card.
Ideally, you would have MLC redirected to a partition on a a USB drive, while also having a FAT32 partition for homebrew, but USB inits way too late for MLC.
 
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Honestly, I'd say that the best way for an eMMC relocation is simply don't and use a redNAND. Jan has been making some good progress with redNAND, and now you don't even need a real eMMC to use a redNAND. It shouldn't be a big issue either on the software side, since portables should have isfshax, or at least defuse, plus you can have any size internal you want, just like with the cafeflex.
Hardware side it might be a little annoying, due to needing to solder to tiny traces for the SD card, but it doesn't require an eMMC relocation and replaces the need for a USB to replace an SD card, since you can have just an SD card.
Ideally, you would have MLC redirected to a partition on a a USB drive, while also having a FAT32 partition for homebrew, but USB inits way too late for MLC.
Wow, now i have 2 cuestions, Can the RedNAND take advantage of the 10 class SD velocity? and the SATA of the SSD?
Cause then the loading screens would be faster.
PS: Sorry, before i said PCI instead of SATA.
 
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